The Capitalism for Good Podcast is all about how we make and spend our money to benefit the greater good (and how that benefits us right back). We are on a mission to do 100 interviews with business leaders about how they are using their businesses, both small and large, to make a positive impact in their internal and external communities. This is the intersection of money, time, energy, and bandwidth considering how to balance these for now and for the future.
Capitalism for Good is all about community, giveback, business, leaders, founders, owners...you know just folks using business to give back to the communities, prioritize employees, build better culture, make and use sustainable materials, encourage intentional consumerism, and more.
We love small businesses, local businesses, businesses run by underrepresented leaders, businesses supporting other businesses, folks making against the grain business and financial decisions, sustainable business, ethical businesses, businesses prioritizing quality and curated experiences, and businesses that encourage your to practice intentional consumerism. We love talking about using capitalism for good.
Capitalism for Good talks to business leaders about how they got to where they are, what drives them to make decisions that prioritize people, advice and examples of why supporting community supports the business back, and the impact that business has on the greater community. Then we end with a final question, "who is another business or leader that you see doing things the right way that deserves a shout out," because we believe in recognizing the hard work and intentional decisions of others, even if it's our competition. Because that's what makes us all better. That's how we build better community. That's using Capitalism for Good.
Ad-free episodes can be accessed through paid subscription at Patreon.com/CapitalismForGood (options starting at $1).
Capitalism for Good has a touchy feely introspective sister project called Bittersweet Paradox all about how the darkest of times and the lightest of times can exist simultaneously through both a Writing Club and a Podcast. The Capitalism for Green project puts the lessons learned in Capitalism for Good into action in real time.
Between the Interviews | Bittersweet Paradox | BioSite | Capitalism for Green | Company Mentions | Transcripts
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The Capitalism for Good Podcast is all about how we make and spend our money to benefit the greater good (and how that benefits us right back). We are on a mission to do 100 interviews with business leaders about how they are using their businesses, both small and large, to make a positive impact in their internal and external communities. This is the intersection of money, time, energy, and bandwidth considering how to balance these for now and for the future.
Capitalism for Good is all about community, giveback, business, leaders, founders, owners...you know just folks using business to give back to the communities, prioritize employees, build better culture, make and use sustainable materials, encourage intentional consumerism, and more.
We love small businesses, local businesses, businesses run by underrepresented leaders, businesses supporting other businesses, folks making against the grain business and financial decisions, sustainable business, ethical businesses, businesses prioritizing quality and curated experiences, and businesses that encourage your to practice intentional consumerism. We love talking about using capitalism for good.
Capitalism for Good talks to business leaders about how they got to where they are, what drives them to make decisions that prioritize people, advice and examples of why supporting community supports the business back, and the impact that business has on the greater community. Then we end with a final question, "who is another business or leader that you see doing things the right way that deserves a shout out," because we believe in recognizing the hard work and intentional decisions of others, even if it's our competition. Because that's what makes us all better. That's how we build better community. That's using Capitalism for Good.
Ad-free episodes can be accessed through paid subscription at Patreon.com/CapitalismForGood (options starting at $1).
Capitalism for Good has a touchy feely introspective sister project called Bittersweet Paradox all about how the darkest of times and the lightest of times can exist simultaneously through both a Writing Club and a Podcast. The Capitalism for Green project puts the lessons learned in Capitalism for Good into action in real time.
Between the Interviews | Bittersweet Paradox | BioSite | Capitalism for Green | Company Mentions | Transcripts
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week is yet another outcome from my November 2025 Instagram algorithm dive to find companies that were doing their part to support their community. Mothership Coffee’s Sip with Purpose program chooses a new nonprofit to support each quarter with customers purchasing a designated drink with proceeds benefiting the charity. It’s another creative way to integrate a community giveback program into the DNA of the business model. It’s a way of prioritizing the people all around the business, inside and out, to give them an extra boost of the warm & fuzzies. It’s this culture that brought me to Lisa Tanasi, COO of Mothership Coffee & Sunrise Coffee in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Capitalism for Good looks for the definition of “community” that involves a group of people cheering one another on and encouraging them to keep going, keep trying, and keep doing good work. Lisa talks about ending the interview with Mothership with a compliment about the company and a genuine wish for success in the future. That’s what community is all about here. It’s a true crowd cheering on one another regardless of whether or not we reap the benefits of it. It’s truly wanting folks and companies to succeed when it’s deserved regardless of what our role is in that success.
The warm & fuzzy community is also backed by logistical & strategic operational practices that provide the structure to succeed. Much like what leaders like Stacy Grace and Lindsey McCoy mentioned, Lisa & Juanny have clear delineations between roles so each person can thrive within their own wheelhouses. That gives room for each to thrive where they do best. There’s a key function to the internal community that seems to happen when strengths are recognized and fostered by aligning with a professional role regardless of what level we’re talking about. Again, another theme that Lisa brings up is when someone earlier in her career recognized her own strengths and encouraged her to lean into them. When we have those folks in our communities that spot our talents and support being able to run free with them, we often figure out what feels best for us. We learn from the things that we mess up or that don’t work as well as we wanted them to. But because we enjoy the freedom and following the things that bring us joy (and that give us our own warm & fuzzies), we continue to follow them (again, I really think Tory Hall is onto something here with the evolutionary advantage of the warm & fuzzies…).
Entrepreneurial grit in 17 years gave her the thick skin that she needed to thrive in the corporate world. In corporate America, she talks about how she earned her metaphorical MBA getting education & exposure on all the foundational aspects of a large company. Then moving into the world of Mothership, she brought with her humanity, humility, grace, and recognition that we’re all imperfect humans just trying to do our best. It’s the personal connection. Even as I was editing this episode, I pictured Lisa’s words hitting home for folks and texted a friend with a heads up that I would recommend she prioritize this episode (shout out Sara!). Lisa’s way of connecting is something that we can each find our own throughline within our own lives and careers. Calling out my own bias here, obviously I also personally love someone that encourages me to “stay in the questions.” If I’m going to follow the same logic of the themes here, it’s likely because that question strength gives me my own warm & fuzzies when I lean into it. It’s empathetic leadership like this that we can all learn something from and can all find ways to set others up for success. And for that, I’m incredibly thankful that she took the time to share her story & perspective for all of us to learn from!
Shout out to:
Bonus mentions:
The extended full version of this episode is available at Patreon.com/CapitalismForGood.
We encourage intentional consumerism and community-focused business practices.
Ad-free episodes can be accessed through paid subscription at Patreon.com/CapitalismForGood (options starting at $1).
Between the Interviews | Bittersweet Paradox | Capitalism for Green | Company Mentions
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Stacy Grace is the Co-Founder & CEO of Kent which is an underwear and basics brand made of 100% non-synthetic organic cotton. They also have one of my all-time favorite slogans: “plant your pants.” I’ll start with her entrepreneurial pathway that involves a pivot from pricy organic silk to synthetic free cotton basics. She talks about how she knew in her gut basic cotton underwear was more her than the fancier silk version. Next, how “your daily choice can make a daily impact” leads to intentional consumerism. Underwear and daily basics are so much more than just the foundation of what we wear. They’re so much more. This brings us back to the afterlife of underwear. I’ve been writing a lot recently with analogies of cleaning and closets, so the natural thought evolution for me here is the concept of “out of sight = out of mind.” It’s rather harmless when it’s moving clutter into a closet when you have company over, but it gains impact when thinking about how everything we own, touch, and use was created in some way and will continue to live on in some form or another. The universal concept of the circle of life makes a great children’s earworm of a song in the Lion King and brings up images of seeds being planted, growing, and then dying and turning back to soil at turbo speed in my mind during a calming yoga session. But then when we apply that same concept to things thrown away, into a trash truck (I’m picturing that scene in Toy Story…) to the landfill, where it piles up high, emits noxious gasses that contribute to climate change or plastic pieces that continue to degrade until they’re so small that they then invade every crevice of our bodies without serving a helpful purpose like their nutrient neighbors.
…Or worse, but let’s put a pin in that because Stacy also echoes what so many of the other sustainable brand leaders that came before her have also reminded me: people know that there’s a lot that is harmful to our planet. There’s no need to keep hitting them over the head with it. Instead, I vote that we continue to celebrate folks like Stacy who are using their business savvyness to solve really big problems gently guiding folks into making decisions with a positive impact by pulling them in with something that is good enough that they’ll want to buy them in bulk like the surprising customer base full of men wearing Kent. Whether it’s the consciousness about the impact on male fertility, the eco-friendly manufacturing, the simple breathability & comfort, or just that they’ve been purchased and placed in their drawer to be put on, the reason doesn’t really matter as long as the end result is more people choosing a better for the environment product.
Keep an eye out for what Stacy (and Jeff!) tackle in the future. It might be the app she talks about that’s a clear break from their current physical goods focus. It might be the 100% natural shoe that she joked about (although, I honestly wouldn't put it past her to figure that out at some point and bring it into the rotation…). Even if it’s just sharing more about what she learns about growing companies with a positive impact led by a strong team of employees that are channeling their entrepreneurial spirit & passion into new solutions, I think we could all learn a lot from her. And for that, I’m incredibly thankful that she took the time to tell us about her experiences.
Shout out to:
We encourage intentional consumerism and community-focused business practices.
Ad-free episodes can be accessed through paid subscription at Patreon.com/CapitalismForGood (options starting at $1).
Between the Interviews | Bittersweet Paradox | Capitalism for Green | Company Mentions
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This one with Tory Hall, Owner & Operator of Sower Books in Lincoln, NE really burrowed into the folds of my brain in a way that makes me stare at my computer screen with all the thoughts and no thoughts at all. It’s the kind of conversation that deserved quiet time for me to process. Each time I thought that I’d wrapped my brain around the reflection, it fell another layer deeper. I was silent with the weight of it after we talked and just when I’d closed my eyes to almost fall asleep that night, a burst of inspiration flooded in. I scrambled to capture it all in the notes app of my phone about the impact that it had on me as a person. That same night after I’d first spoken to Tory, I was mostly focused on how easy it was to talk to her about the realities of life and my own determination to fight depression wave drops with forces of good. When the weight of the darkness settles in, I keep myself from becoming trapped there by making a plan.
I picture when the ocean waves ebb as the tide goes out and the beach is left to dry out quietly with the remnants of what’s been left to dry up or fight to survive. I will try as hard as I possibly can to do my best to better prepare for the next time and lend a hand to anyone around. What I picture as the ocean tides, might be someone else’s season change. Or buildings crumbling only to be rebuilt. Or roller coaster riding. Or sowing a garden. It’s life. It’s different for everyone.
Tory’s inclusive bookstore allows for all of these analogies, experiences, and stories to exist under one roof. She offers couches, blankets, foster cats, and community. She offers a chance to see and support those around you. She offers an ability to read another’s story, see into their minds, and consider other perspectives. She allows the space for people like me to ponder my own story and how it fits into the greater story. She offers tolerance, acceptance, inclusion, knowledge, and support. She also offers hope and recognition of the reality of the destruction with the resilience and confidence that we can join together as a whole village to push forward together. The world may burn to the ground. The ruthless tide might indiscriminately suck back into itself. The building may crumble. But we can sow our own seeds of the future to build it into a better place. If we want to. And if we have more Tory’s around.
That’s where this iteration of reflection has dropped me. It’s different from the scramble from the night after we first spoke that ended up in the notes app. It’s different from the recording of a Between the Interviews episode that was inspired by the late night notes app entry. It’s different from each of the takeaways I tunnel-visioned on when I spoke about it to my own personal village. Catch me tomorrow, next week, or next year and I’ll find a new perspective. And that’s what I’m most thankful for to have come out of this conversation with Tory.
Alright. That’s enough. Let’s go leave this place better than we found it.
Shout out to:
Bonus shout outs to:
We love small businesses, local businesses, those run by underrepresented leaders, those supporting other businesses, folks making against the grain decisions, sustainable business, ethical businesses, businesses prioritizing quality and curated experiences, and businesses that encourage your to practice intentional consumerism.
Between the Interviews | Bittersweet Paradox | Capitalism for Green | Company Mentions
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
I’m Andrea and I’m the woman behind the Capitalism for Good project which led me to start the Capitalism for Green project. I have no idea what I’m doing, but I’m here to figure it out and you watch me figure it out. I’m determined to surround myself with folks smarter than me who can help guide me and lead me through this process as I attempt to open an impact-focused sustainable shop. I’m putting the lessons of Capitalism for Good into practice in real time with some extra help from folks that have been where I’ve been. So if you have opened or want to open a refill store, zero-waste store, impact-driven values based store, or just want to follow along to watch me bumble my way through it, you’re in the right spot. Enjoy!
We love small businesses, local businesses, those run by underrepresented leaders, those supporting other businesses, folks making against the grain decisions, sustainable business, ethical businesses, businesses prioritizing quality and curated experiences, and businesses that encourage your to practice intentional consumerism.
Between the Interviews | Bittersweet Paradox | Capitalism for Green | Company Mentions
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Chelsey Simpson is Co-Owner of Urban Agrarian and comes from a long line of Oklahoma farmers who’ve dedicated their lives to taking care of the land, animals, and food for the community. She tells us her experience that brought to light the economic disparities between the middle America generational business leaders and the entrepreneurs of the coasts. And let me tell you, she knows her stuff. She was generous enough to chat with me post recording to give me her take on some of the ideas that I had percolating in my own personal dream world of entrepreneurship. It’s a complicated topic and her willingness to discuss without overt judgment ruling one way or the other is both much appreciated and thought provoking.
It was that gift of extra time and perspective that is a great example of how she explains her perspective of being a leader to an internal team and external community. She describes truly caring about the people she works with every day and recognizing that those humans are dynamic individuals. That recognition and support is clear and obvious, especially when you consider how I found her at Urban Agrarian. Much like with Cal Crosby of The Kings English Bookshop (and from last week’s episode), I was busy learning to curate my Instagram feed to lead me to those using businesses to take care of their communities when the national systems failed to meet their mission. Urban Agrarian was giving customers with SNAP benefits a free gallon of milk and adding $20 to their purchases.
The respect she has for people appears to seep over into how she respects the food taking care to eliminate waste, mentioning using tomato scraps in homemade salsa. She uses her unique blend of skills through educating and informing writers through her writing throughout her history at nonprofits and publications like Edible OKC. She feeds her community. She supports the farmers in ways that make logical sense. She’s reasonable and recognizes the value in walking away from what’s not working so that she can walk toward what is. She’s evolving and bringing Urban Agrarian and the rest of us along with her as she continues to grow and serve and share.
As a bonus, she gives us recommendations for Thanksgiving including one that I will likely test out.
Instagram | Company Mentions | Transcripts | YouTube
We love small businesses, local businesses, those run by underrepresented leaders, those supporting other businesses, folks making against the grain decisions, sustainable business, ethical businesses, businesses prioritizing quality and curated experiences, and businesses that encourage your to practice intentional consumerism.
Between the Interviews | Bittersweet Paradox | Capitalism for Green | Company Mentions
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Hi folks! I’m Andrea and I’m the woman behind the Capitalism for Good project which led me to start the Capitalism for Green project. I have no idea what I’m doing, but I’m here to figure it out and you watch me figure it out. I’m determined to surround myself with folks smarter than me who can help guide me and lead me through this process as I attempt to open an impact-focused sustainable shop. I’m putting the lessons of Capitalism for Good into practice in real time with some extra help from folks that have been where I’ve been. So if you have opened or want to open a refill store, zero-waste store, impact-driven values based store, or just want to follow along to watch me bumble my way through it, you’re in the right spot. Enjoy!
We love small businesses, local businesses, those run by underrepresented leaders, those supporting other businesses, folks making against the grain decisions, sustainable business, ethical businesses, businesses prioritizing quality and curated experiences, and businesses that encourage your to practice intentional consumerism.
Between the Interviews | Bittersweet Paradox | Capitalism for Green | Company Mentions
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Today's episode is with Cal Crosby, Co-Owner of The King’s English Bookshop & Chief Executive Director of Brain Food Books based in Salt Lake City, Utah.
This is a story of how The King’s English Bookshop was a principal character in the life of a kid that grew up to become the owner of that bookshop and the Chief Executive Director of a nonprofit working hand-in-hand with that bookshop to put books in the hands of both kids and adults. It’s the story of how access to books can open the world of possibilities for all kids, but especially so for those that come from impoverished homes, haven’t yet found their community, or who could benefit from being seen. It’s a story of world building. It’s a story of magic and the guidance of the universe. It’s a story of giving back to your ancestors and community. It’s a story of sharing your enough. It’s change. It’s hope. It’s light. It’s snow falling on Christmas Eve mixed with tears like the turning point in your favorite novel when the hints of the next chapters come into view.
It’s also brain food. It’s knowledge. It’s sharing the experiences and efficiencies learned along the way so that others can incorporate those ideas to continue to push the boundaries of supporting our fellow community members. It’s leading in business and leading as a neighbor. It’s finding solutions and passing it along to the next generation. It’s finding ways to adapt to how we make and spend our dollars, especially when it comes to how we interact with those who document our experiences and philosophies in fiction & nonfiction print work. It’s a celebration of the people that have come before us and will come after us. It’s welcoming in and introducing the Indigenous artists and thought leaders that have been pushed down and out in the history of our country. It’s flipping the script so we can learn from them as we celebrate them.
Cal’s a world builder. He’s a community builder. He’s a sharer and a self-proclaimed elder in all the ways we (should) honor and respect our elders. He’s an opportunist in the best sense of the word. He’s a connector, a listener, and a teacher. He’s a leader in the way he operates and moves throughout the universe. Even as I spoke with him over zoom, the wind seemed to sense the crescendos of his stories ringing the chimes behind me and tossing autumn leaves through the air like confetti. It’s as though the universe senses his wisdom and demands we listen. It’s similar to how he describes the way he’s made all of these critical decisions throughout his life that brought him to this moment in time.
Alright. That’s enough. Let’s go leave this place better than we found it.
Shout out to:
Instagram | Company Mentions | BioSite | Transcripts | YouTube
We love small businesses, local businesses, those run by underrepresented leaders, those supporting other businesses, folks making against the grain decisions, sustainable business, ethical businesses, businesses prioritizing quality and curated experiences, and businesses that encourage your to practice intentional consumerism.
Between the Interviews | Bittersweet Paradox | Capitalism for Green | Company Mentions
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Ben Higgins is the Co-Founder & President of Generous Coffee, a self-funded for-profit business dedicated to donating 100% of its profits to charity. He tells the story about a trip to Central America that left a big impression on him, a lunch bribe that landed him a TV gig, conversations with the wise people around him that helped him navigate the chaotic world he found himself in, and how he used his talents for paying attention to the people around him to build a truly unique company. From top to bottom, Generous Coffee does its part to care for people from Warsaw, Indiana where they hand out free coffee to their global charity partners collaborating with the recipients to give people what they actually need. There’s so much that we can learn from Ben and how everything he touches turns to goodness.
Shout out to:
Bonus Mentions to:
Instagram | Company Mentions | BioSite | Transcripts | YouTube
We love small businesses, local businesses, those run by underrepresented leaders, those supporting other businesses, folks making against the grain decisions, sustainable business, ethical businesses, businesses prioritizing quality and curated experiences, and businesses that encourage your to practice intentional consumerism.
Between the Interviews | Bittersweet Paradox | Capitalism for Green | Company Mentions
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
He quickly admits that he could take or leave real estate. It’s just a vehicle for him to encourage others to fill their best shoes. That got me intrigued. I had more questions. Most people I speak with lead with their jobs (as do many of us when asked “what do you do?”). What sticks out the most to me about Dan is the way in which he views the world. It all comes back to being a teacher and a coach even when the environment looks a little different. At one point, he was a teacher in a classroom. At one point he was a coach to a team of kids. Now, he’s a combo teacher & coach to real estate agents helping them evolve and grow as humans. At the end of the day, that really sticks out: he treats people like humanism, he values people as humans, and he works hard to make a positive impact on his fellow humans. And if that’s not the real through-line and generality that I should be adopting to replace my outdated gendered one, then I don’t know what is.
We also talk about the value of grit. In his words, “you can’t lead anyone through anything that you haven’t experienced yourself.” This line makes me think about how many of the folks we’ve talked with thus far have had really varied backgrounds that involve big career swings between focuses. These folks talk about how they’ve made mistakes and learned from the dead ends they’ve hit along the way. They talk about the times they faced challenges and unexpected events that preempted life pivots. The folks in the Capitalism for Good crew all have grit that helps them persevere and charge forward even when it’s not easy, even when they feel like failures, and even when they’re making decisions that most CFOs would tell them to absolutely not do. These experiences and the boldness to move through them gives them know-how to help lead others through their own challenges. When you’ve walked through the fire to come out on the other side, then you can be the proof that it’s possible and help guide the next person through. It’s no wonder he’s a good coach. No matter what he’s doing.
And speaking of what he’s doing…it’s a lot and nothing at all. It’s big dreams like a big outdoor adult playground in Colorado where people can gather, connect, and play. It’s also the quiet moments that he now allows himself where he can sit. Appreciate nature. Breathe. And dream. Dream about that big outdoor playground in Colorado and how he’s going to make it become a reality. There’s power in the quiet moments that we allow ourselves when we’re not caught up in the noise and busyness of life. The world is chaotic. Life is unexpected. But there’s calm on the other side of the fire. There’s quiet in the mornings in the Rocky Mountains where his hard work got him. There’s wisdom in the grit. There’s another example for us all of how to use our positions and the way we make our dollars, to have a positive impact on the people and the world around us.
Shout out to:
Instagram | Company Mentions | BioSite
We love small businesses, local businesses, those run by underrepresented leaders, those supporting other businesses, folks making against the grain decisions, sustainable business, ethical businesses, businesses prioritizing quality and curated experiences, and businesses that encourage your to practice intentional consumerism.
Between the Interviews | Bittersweet Paradox | Capitalism for Green | Company Mentions
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Even though there are just a couple resources listed in this episode, I don't feel right about gatekeeping it, so here's a not-so-fun bonus Between the Interviews episode for all.
Episodes Referenced:
If you or anyone you know is looking for help or to help, start with your local Community Foundation or United Way. Regardless of where you live, they’ll be the experts on what is available for those that are looking for help, gaps in services that need to be filled, and can recommend where the largest needs might currently be.
P.S. No need to bring critical comments related to the example used. If you think it's a bunch of BS that people will be negatively impacted, please read the room (and also see my repeated quote in episode 2 of Capitalism for Green that I steal from one of my favorite podcasters, Karen Kilgariff). Constructive comments are encouraged for discussion. Because it takes a collection of great brains from different backgrounds to truly solve problems well.
We love small businesses, local businesses, those run by underrepresented leaders, those supporting other businesses, folks making against the grain decisions, sustainable business, ethical businesses, businesses prioritizing quality and curated experiences, and businesses that encourage your to practice intentional consumerism.
Between the Interviews | Bittersweet Paradox | Capitalism for Green | Company Mentions
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Hey folks. I promise to be real quick here. I’ve been thinking a lot about how to use capitalism for good as the name of the project suggests by putting all the lessons I’ve learned from the leaders I’ve interviewed so far into action. I’ve also been thinking a lot about how much the need in our community is likely to continue to increase in the coming months. So in the spirit of using capitalism for good, I’m officially launching a give back program. To kick it all off, I’ll donate 50% of all dollars from Patreon memberships split between Feeding America because they have a national reach and address food insecurity and then a charity of choice by the Patreon members so we funnel some money to somewhere near & dear to you all.
So, if that sounds like something you want to get on board with, we’ve got a few options for you to join on Patreon. Bittersweet Paradox has a Writing Club and a podcast. That’s your touchy feely thinking writing personal project.
Capitalism for Good has 2 podcast series, one exclusive to Patreon members and some early releases. That’s 100 interviews with business leaders making a positive impact on their community.
Capitalism for Green has early release video episodes and a Patreon exclusive blog. That’s where I put what I learn from capitalism for good into action by attempting to open a store of my own.
There's a link to all of these in the show notes for you to join so we can make some really big donations together.
Moving forward, each of the projects will continue with a monthly donation to a charity of choice so we keep this momentum going.
So, spread the word. Tell anyone you think might be interested.
Alright. That’s enough. Let’s go leave this place better than we found it.
We love small businesses, local businesses, those run by underrepresented leaders, those supporting other businesses, folks making against the grain decisions, sustainable business, ethical businesses, businesses prioritizing quality and curated experiences, and businesses that encourage your to practice intentional consumerism.
Between the Interviews | Bittersweet Paradox | Capitalism for Green | Company Mentions
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Spin off sister projects:
BioSite | Company Mentions | Email | Instagram | Transcripts | YouTube
We love small businesses, local businesses, those run by underrepresented leaders, those supporting other businesses, folks making against the grain decisions, sustainable business, ethical businesses, businesses prioritizing quality and curated experiences, and businesses that encourage your to practice intentional consumerism.
Between the Interviews | Bittersweet Paradox | Capitalism for Green | Company Mentions
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Anastasia Bezrukova is the Founder & CEO of Minori Beauty which is short for Minimalist Origins. Her idea behind the product is to create something that is simple and universal as an alternative to the overwhelming amount of options from brands a galore out there. Honestly, that mostly seems like a summary of her entire life. She, herself, is a melting pot of cultures. She’s Half Russian, Half Greek growing up in the Soviet Union and then heading to Canada before coming to the US to live in both New York & California. Because of that, she talks about how she’s a mix of polite and direct, which serves her when she’s interacting with all kinds of people in all kinds of positions in different stages of growing Minori. She leans on her background, the legacy of her mother (also a business owner), and her innate ability to ignore the pressures of the world around her to focus on each step to build her clean, simple, universal beauty brand. She doesn’t shortcut success. She doesn't try to be someone she’s not. She doesn’t fold herself into someone else’s mold, she is just honestly transparent in a really refreshing way. And all of that is why she’s another perfect fit for the Capitalism for Good project.
Shout out to:
Instagram | Company Mentions | BioSite (with links to listen & more) | Transcripts | YouTube
We love small businesses, local businesses, those run by underrepresented leaders, those supporting other businesses, folks making against the grain decisions, sustainable business, ethical businesses, businesses prioritizing quality and curated experiences, and businesses that encourage your to practice intentional consumerism.
Between the Interviews | Bittersweet Paradox | Capitalism for Green | Company Mentions
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Tierra Barber. She is the Founder & Owner of B. Elevated Candle Bar in Houston, TX. She started her career as an Athletic Director of a school system, but later used her talents to educate her community in a different way. After discovering her daughter had adverse reactions to certain household items, she went deep into researching to find a solution. And like any good overachiever does, she used that solution to transform her home and the traditions established by the women that came before her. Candles were always a staple in her house growing up, so when those candles seemed to be the source of the issue for her daughter, she decided to make her own complete with homemade labels and clean ingredients. And with that, she had set herself up to be ready to open her business and share what she’d learned with her community. Nowadays, education looks a little different, but she’s still out there using her work to help others. She’s a great example of a leader who not only talks the talk, but also walks the walk. She’s also taking what is important to her to another level through their Environmental Impact Program with incentives for those who choose to re-use and upcycle existing containers and finding ways to reuse materials throughout her store.
Shout out to:
Bonus shout out to:
Instagram | Company Mentions | BioSite | Transcripts
We love small businesses, local businesses, those run by underrepresented leaders, those supporting other businesses, folks making against the grain decisions, sustainable business, ethical businesses, businesses prioritizing quality and curated experiences, and businesses that encourage your to practice intentional consumerism.
Between the Interviews | Bittersweet Paradox | Capitalism for Green | Company Mentions
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Jessica Cichowlas is Owner of BYOC Co. a refill store in Ann Arbor, MI with a focus on local manufacturers and products that don't harm the environment. If you're not familiar with refill stores, don't worry. She explains what they are and what separates them from traditional large retailers including the impact of encouraging manufacturers to incorporate closed-loop systems to eliminate waste (think: sending containers back to manufacturers for sanitization & reuse and using only recycled materials to create new products). We talk about how she got to where she is now as owner of a refill store and what lessons she learned along the way, including the shift in how she views monitoring her time related to her working style. Her 2025 Mantra: “I like the way I work and the way I work serves me.”
We talk about the drive to find solutions to the problems that we discovered as kids learning about the depletion of the ozone layer and the impacts of recycling using the family computer to fall down early rabbit holes. We also talk about the positive things that have come out of those spirals and with the forward momentum of folks banning together to push the envelope. BYOC's hometown of Ann Arbor, MI, is leading the charge with the A2Zero movement focused on achieving community-wide carbon neutrality by 2030 by providing resources to citizens to transition their daily lives into a carbon-neutral functionality. As small business and city-wide initiatives continue to spread, so does the impact of those focused on intentionally improving environmental outcomes. Keep it up!
Shout out to: A2Zero in Ann Arbor, MI.
Bonus shout outs to:
Instagram | Company Mentions | BioSite (with links to listen & more) | Transcripts
We love small businesses, local businesses, those run by underrepresented leaders, those supporting other businesses, folks making against the grain decisions, sustainable business, ethical businesses, businesses prioritizing quality and curated experiences, and businesses that encourage your to practice intentional consumerism.
Between the Interviews | Bittersweet Paradox | Capitalism for Green | Company Mentions
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Travis Franklin is the Co-Founder of Tipton Franklin and Founder of Bar 9 Agency. He's also the second in a 2-part series of the folks behind Tipton Franklin. When you put the stories of Angela Tipton (his Co-Founder) & Travis together, you get this well-rounded perspective of 2 folks that are using their unique expertise that positions them right between their agriculture and scientific backgrounds with each of their marketing education & experience to help the experts in each of those respective fields work seamlessly together. If we’ve learned anything from the folks from the previous interviews of the Capitalism for Good project, it’s that it really takes all kinds of people, working together to keep things running, especially running well and running for good (I’m reminded here about Veronica Hernandez’s bird analogy). They’re also both focused, and have been from the beginning, on being intentional about where they can make an impact and choosing the people that they feel good about working with.
In his words, “every single pivot was a moment that I was planting a seed.” Whether those moments were intentional or not, it was each of those seeds and the curveballs that life pitches to us all, that got him to where he is now. And while the technology of today they're using in Tipton Franklin is helping small businesses keep up with their competition, these novel advancements aren't free of downsides. Travis doesn’t sweep the concerns under the rug making comparisons to the perceived potential threat of Y2K referencing the instinct we all inherently have saying that, “evolution has told us to watch for the grass moving in the jungle so that when that when the predator comes at us, we’re ready…we’re at that stage now where we’re not sure that the AI is the grass moving in the jungle and we’re in danger or if it’s something else that’s there to help us.” Despite the risk, he is choosing to leverage the opportunities for good through both Tipton Franklin & Bar 9 Agency. At the end of the day, that’s exactly what this project is all about. And that’s exactly the kind of thing that we can all learn from.
Shout out to:
Instagram | Company Mentions | BioSite | Transcripts
We love small businesses, local businesses, those run by underrepresented leaders, those supporting other businesses, folks making against the grain decisions, sustainable business, ethical businesses, businesses prioritizing quality and curated experiences, and businesses that encourage your to practice intentional consumerism.
Between the Interviews | Bittersweet Paradox | Capitalism for Green | Company Mentions
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Angela Tipton is the Co-Founder of Tipton Franklin (and we may or may not be featuring her counterpart in the future…) and is our 21st interview of business leaders making a positive impact on their communities. She breaks down a very complicated world of science professionals and her role of helping those scientists with their marketing needs. Especially in today’s society, when science can sometimes be viewed as controversial and can be misunderstood without the deep knowledge of their specialties, helping navigate communication is key. Simply put, in her words, “the only thing really that trumps science, is better science.” The niche that Angela supports through Tipton Franklin is key to helping scientists further their missions. We talk about the importance of helping experts be experts by supporting their communication and marketing needs. When marketing specialists can partner with those in science, especially those small businesses with hearts of gold and minds that push the envelope, can use their expertise to focus on crafting tailored messages for the public, investors, internally, to funders, or whoever, then that allows the scientists to focus on what they do best: the science. It takes a community of partners working together, leaning into their individual talents, and chasing each of their individual dreams, to push society further, expand our knowledge of the world around us, and leverage the technology and advancements in AgTech, BioTech, and beyond.
And speaking of communities of people working together, one of my favorite rabbit holes that Angela indulged me by walking into when we spoke was about mentorship. Just like how Tipton Franklin helps scientists and small businesses see and take advantage of new opportunities to give them a competitive edge, mentors can also do that for each of us. When each of us are focused on keeping things afloat in our daily lives when we’re trying to meet our professional goals in our current roles, maintain our family responsibilities, and keep all the current plates in the world, it’s easy to only see the world from our own immediate perspective. That’s where mentors come in to reflect back to us the pieces that may be more difficult to see. For Angela, one of those instances was when her supervisor pointed out that she might thrive in marketing. But that mentor could take so many different forms. It could be a formal agreement between a more experienced and lesser experienced individual in a similar field with clearly outlined goals and actions steps. It could also just be someone that crosses your path (personally and/or professionally), that takes the time to notice you as a human and foster those things that both fill your cup and that you might have a particular set of skills for. It can look different with different people and at different points in your life.
Shout out:
Instagram | Company Mentions | BioSite (with links to listen & more) | Transcripts
Capitalism for Good: real honest and transparent interviews with 100 business leaders about how they're successfully using business to make a positive impact on their internal and external communities.
We love small businesses, local businesses, businesses run by underrepresented leaders, businesses supporting other businesses, folks making against the grain business and financial decisions, sustainable business, ethical businesses, businesses prioritizing quality and curated experiences, and businesses that encourage your to practice intentional consumerism.
Join the Capitalism for Good community at Patreon.com/CapitalismForGood
Capitalism for Good is a part of the CFG umbrella. Visit the website to learn more.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In a lot of ways, Peter Krull is another perfect example of the Capitalism for Good project. He’s a Partner and the Director of Sustainable Investing at Earth Equity Advisors as well as a host of the Dollars & Change podcast and author of the upcoming book, The Sustainable Investor. He’s also clearly driven by the idea that we can use our money to create positive change in the world around us. In his words, “the way we spend our money, is all an extension of us” and “if you’re going to do this, why not do it so that you not only have an impact on somebody’s bottom line, but you also have an impact on the world around them?” He’s also a book-loving avid-reader, which obviously also speaks right to so many of my favorite things. Throw in a Ted Lasso quote (“be curious and not judgmental”) and it’s no wonder that he made the cut. He credits part of this to growing up in a generation that started to buck the norm in favor of a “non-linear life” that perpetuates an against-the-grain approach to business and to life. We talk about the behind-the-scenes mentality that led him to dedicate his career to advancing solutions through intentionally invested dollars.
Shout out to:
Instagram | Company Mentions | BioSite (with links to listen & more) | Transcripts
Capitalism for Good: real honest and transparent interviews with 100 business leaders about how they're successfully using business to make a positive impact on their internal and external communities.
We love small businesses, local businesses, businesses run by underrepresented leaders, businesses supporting other businesses, folks making against the grain business and financial decisions, sustainable business, ethical businesses, businesses prioritizing quality and curated experiences, and businesses that encourage your to practice intentional consumerism.
Join the Capitalism for Good community at Patreon.com/CapitalismForGood
Capitalism for Good is a part of the CFG umbrella. Visit the website to learn more.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Capitalism for Good: real honest and transparent interviews with 100 business leaders about how they're successfully using business to make a positive impact on their internal and external communities.
We love small businesses, local businesses, businesses run by underrepresented leaders, businesses supporting other businesses, folks making against the grain business and financial decisions, sustainable business, ethical businesses, businesses prioritizing quality and curated experiences, and businesses that encourage your to practice intentional consumerism.
Join the Capitalism for Good community at Patreon.com/CapitalismForGood
Capitalism for Good is a part of the CFG umbrella. Visit the website to learn more.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
"I think food and music and spaces and all of those things breed community and I find community really fascinating," said Hannah Withers of her love of merging her career and her passions. With the help of her 50/50 partner in both business and life, Ben, she has helped found, fuel, and fire up community through spaces and events all around her much like her mother, a founding member of The Mother Folkers, and much like Maxine Miller, the founder and namesake of Maxine's Tap Room of which Hannah is currently named "Caretaker." Back before the women could open bank accounts without a man's signature and decades before widespread laws against women bartending were overturned, Maxine Miller, opened a bar in Fayetteville, Arkansas as a single woman. That was back in 1950. Back when one of the regulars would tie up his mule outside of the bar. While Maxine is no longer with us, her legacy continues to live on.
She has it all. She has passion. She has drive. She has transparency. She has creative ideas that draw people to her. She has lessons that she learned the hard way. She has the respect and admiration of the people around her. She's got so much to teach all of us. And she's another one of those life-long learners that will likely continue to have more and more wisdom to pass on to us all. Cheers to never growing out of learning & loving.
I don't know if I could ever sum up all the things I took away from this conversation and I find new nuggets that burrow into my brain each time that I listen back to her. Enjoy!
Shout outs to:
Bonus shout outs to:
Company Mentions | BioSite (with links to listen & more) | Blog & Transcripts
Capitalism for Good: real honest and transparent interviews with 100 business leaders about how they're successfully using business to make a positive impact on their internal and external communities.
We love small businesses, local businesses, businesses run by underrepresented leaders, businesses supporting other businesses, folks making against the grain business and financial decisions, sustainable business, ethical businesses, businesses prioritizing quality and curated experiences, and businesses that encourage your to practice intentional consumerism.
Join the Capitalism for Good community at Patreon.com/CapitalismForGood
Capitalism for Good is a part of the CFG umbrella. Visit the website to learn more.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.